The present invention relates to a method of relieving pain and, in particular, relates to an improved method for relieving the pain resulting from minor burns, sunburn, insect bites, hives, scratches, scrapes, minor cuts and abrasions, and the pain associated with viral skin diseases susceptible of topical treatment such as herpes zoster.
Prior methods of treatment of viral skin diseases, such as herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, have included the use of cortisone, steroids, anesthetics, ect. However, these methods of treatment have been generally unsuccessful. Applicant has previously described an improved method for the treatment of such viral skin diseases, comprising the topical application of a chemical composition to the infected areas wherein the composition comprises captan and a surface-active bactericide. However, it has surprisingly been determined that the topical applications disclosed herein unexpectedly demonstrate general anesthetic properties which are useful in relieving pain which is susceptible of topical application, such as minor burns, sunburn, scratches, scrapes, hives, and minor cuts and abrasions, in addition to relieving the pain associated with these viral skin diseases.
It is well known that herpes zoster is a viral disease which frequently causes excruciating, prolonged pain and discomfort. A typical shingles patient suffers a great amount of pain for a period of six weeks to six months. Further, other symptoms of the disease may continue for a year or longer and in some cases even for the rest of the patient's life. Blindness, neuritis, and partial paralysis are some of the severe disabilities which can result from the disease. One particularly bad characteristic of the ailment is that it tends to recur periodically, particularly in older patients.
To describe the disease in technical terms, the virus attacks one or more sensory ganglia, usually on one side of the body but sometimes on both. The inflammatory process can extend inward to the meninges and into the root entry zone of the spinal cord; occasionally, it involves the ventral horns, resulting in lower motor neuron paralysis of more or less segmental distribution. The related peripheral nerve or nerves are involved by a true inflammatory neuritis. Encephalitis and myelitis occasionally occur in debilitated patients.
The earlier symptom of herpes zoster is pain in the distribution of the affected root or roots around the trunk, or as a linear strip on the upper or lower limb, or in one or more divisions of the trigeminal nerve. It involves the pinna, external auditory meatus, and anterior pillar of the fauces in geniculate herpes. In rare instances, the disease is painless. However, in most cases, the skin of the infected zone is hypersensitive even before the rash appears. In some cases, muscular paralysis may appear within one or two weeks after the rash has appeared. Such paralysis is uncommon except in the case of geniculate herpes, which is usually accompanied by facial paralysis resembling Bell's palsy.
Postherpetic neuralgia is a common sequel, particularly in patients over fifty. The pain is persistent, and is usually aggravated by emotion and fatigue. Initially, the skin is sensitive to touch, but after a year or two, this sensitivity disappears.
In ophthalmic herpes, there is special danger to the eye, which may in some cases have a secondary bacterial infection. This secondary infection can lead to panophthalmitis. Further, corneal opacities or glaucoma can also result from the herpes.
In most cases, herpes zoster occurs in otherwise healthy individuals. However, in a minority of cases, it occurs in a background of lymphoma, leukemia, carcinoma, radiation therapy, or the use of immunosuppressive drugs.
The method disclosed herein provides long-term lasting relief of pain in humans which is susceptible to topical treatment without being addictive, hallucinogenic or causing similar harmful side effects.